(9/26/12) - The 2012 international figure skating season continues this week with the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) Series and Nebelhorn Trophy.

JGP Slovenia is set for Sept. 26-30, in Bled, Slovenia, while Nebelhorn Trophy will take place Sept. 27-29, in Oberstdorf, Germany. Eight athletes will represent the United States in ladies, men's and ice dancing in Slovenia, while nine athletes will compete in all four disciplines in Oberstdorf.

Icenetwork.com will provide event coverage, including news, photos, blogs and recaps from Bled and Oberstdorf.

NEBELHORN TROPHY
Held annually since 1969, Nebelhorn Trophy is a senior-level competition for all four figure skating disciplines.

LADIES
Caroline Zhang is the 2012 Four Continents bronze medalist. She finished fourth at the 2012 U.S. Championships after competing at 2011 Hilton HHonors Skate America and winning gold at 2011 Ice Challenge.

MEN
Like Zhang, Stephen Carriere also won gold at 2011 Ice Challenge. Carriere competed at the 2012 U.S. Championships, placing sixth, after missing the previous two championships due to injury. Keegan Messing made his international senior debut at 2011 Cup of Nice where he won gold. He most recently finished seventh at the U.S. Championships.

PAIRS
Caydee Denney and John Coughlin begin their second season together. Their first season featured winning the U.S. pairs title and the Four Continents silver medal. Gretchen Donlan and Andrew Speroff are the 2012 U.S. pewter medalists. They made their international debut at this event in 2010 and placed fourth. Both teams are scheduled to compete at 2012 Hilton HHonors Skate America from Oct. 19-21, at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. The event marks the first Grand Prix assignment for Donlan and Speroff.

ICE DANCING
Madison Chock and Evan Bates continue their second competitive season. They opened the year by skating at the 2012 U.S. International Figure Skating Classic two weeks ago in Salt Lake City. They finished fifth at the 2012 U.S. Championships and in the top five at both Skate Canada and Trophee Bompard last fall.

JGP SLOVENIALADIES
Courtney Hicks, the 2011 U.S. junior champion, looks for her second medal of the season after winning silver at JGP United States. Barbie Long, who finished fourth as a junior at the 2012 U.S. Championships, will make her JGP debut in Bled.

MEN
Joshua Farris already has one gold medal to his credit this fall after winning the JGP United States title. Farris is the reigning World Junior silver medalist and JGP Final bronze medalist. Lukas Kaugars will compete at a JGP event for the first time. He made his international debut last spring, winning gold as a junior at Gardena Spring Trophy. Farris and Kaugars train under the same coaching staff in Colorado Springs, Colo.

ICE DANCING
Alexandra Aldridge and Daniel Eaton, the 2012 U.S. junior champions and World Junior bronze medalists, look for their second gold medal of the JGP season after winning gold at JGP United States earlier this month. The two are poised to qualify for their second consecutive JGP Final with a medal. Elliana Pogrebinsky and Ross Gudis made their international debut earlier this month at JGP United States where they finished sixth.

Now in its 16th season, the JGP Series consists of seven international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the seven scheduled events (pairs can compete in two of four designated events). The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Dec. 6-9 in Sochi, Russia, home of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

In addition to the event in Slovenia, the Junior Grand Prix Series consists of the remaining events: